Once More
by piscesclio
Summary: I suck at summaries so just read it
1. Default Chapter

Pacey glanced at Joey's peaceful sleeping form and had to remind himself of the reason he was doing this. She was too good for him. All he was going to do was hold her back in life. Everybody thought so. His father, Dawson, Bessie, and two out of the three had no problem telling him every chance they got. Pacey was sure that one day Joey would think so too, and she would resent him for it. He couldn't bear the thought of that. That's why he had to leave, now, before he lost his courage and couldn't do it.  
  
Going over to Joey's side of the bed, he knelt down beside her. Pacey gently kissed her forehead and whispered his last good-byes. He forced himself not to look back as he walked out of the apartment they shared.  
  
**************************  
  
The first thing Joey became aware of when she woke up was that she was alone in bed. Grabbing her robe she walked into the kitchen fully expecting to find Pacey at the stove making one of his delicious breakfasts. What she found was an empty kitchen, a most unusual occurrence in the Potter-Witter household. The coffeepot hadn't even been used.  
  
Joey got a sinking feeling in her gut but dismissed it quickly. Pacey probably had an errand to run. He would be back in no time, right? Joey would have continued to think so but it just wasn't possible when she walked back into the bedroom they had been sharing for the last six months.  
  
The closet door had been left open and most of his clothes were gone. It was the same thing with his stuff in the bathroom. Joey was starting to panic but she still could have come up with many excuses if not for the note she found lying on the bedside table. That one piece of paper left no doubt in her mind.  
************************* Jo,  
  
I'm sorry that I had to leave like this but its for the best. You deserve the world and that's something I'm not capable of giving you. I'm not worthy of your love but I don't think I can bear the thought of you hating me. Please don't hate me, Jo. I'll be back someday, one day when I've made something of myself. Just remember how much I love you.  
  
Pacey  
**************************** "Joey?" Jen opened the door to Pacey and Joey's apartment tentatively. It was 3:00 p.m. and they were supposed to have met for lunch at noon. Joey had never shown up. She had never called, either. Such behavior just wasn't Joey-like.  
  
Jen would have assumed that Joey had decided to spend the day in bed with her boyfriend but Pacey's car wasn't in any of the parking spaces in front of the apartment.  
  
"Joey?" a sniffle came from the back bedroom and Jen went to investigate.  
  
She found Joey curled up in a ball on the floor in the middle of a small pile of Pacey's old T-shirts. Her face was puffy and tear stained from what looked to be hours of crying. Jen sat next to Joey, pulling the tall brunette into her arms, she began to comfort her friend. For the first time since she had know Joey Potter, the girl hugged her back.  
  
Joey clung to Jen as if she were the last person in the world. Jen couldn't make sense of it. "What happened? Joey, what's wrong?" 


	2. chapter 2

"Gone"  
  
"What's gone?" Jen asked in confusion.  
  
"Him. He's gone."  
  
"Who? Pacey?" At that, Joey started crying more, her body being racked by heart-wrenching sobs.  
  
"Joey, Pacey wouldn't leave you. He loves you." Joey gave a snort and pulled a folded piece of paper out of the pocket of her robe. After reading the note Jen understood the scene before her.  
  
"Idiot." she muttered.  
  
"I know." was all Joey could whisper before she was over come with another bout of tears.  
  
Jen couldn't believe Pacey could be this stupid. How could he just leave Joey? Joey loved him more than anything and Pacey never could seem to realize that but that doesn't explain why he left. Pacey was usually smarter than this.  
  
Jen stood up and maneuvered Joey towards the bed. "Sweetie, why don't you take a nap and I'll see what I can find out about that boyfriend of yours. Do you want me to get Doug and Jack over here?"  
  
"Dawson too." She whispered. Jen nodded and walked out of the room. She didn't want to invite Dawson. He had become such a jerk lately. Especially where Joey and Pacey were concerned.  
  
Glancing at the clock Jen sighed. It was already five. She was supposed to go out with Drew, but she would have to cancel. Joey needed her more. As Jen reached for the phone her cell phone went of. She rushed to answer it before it disturbed Joey.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"My beautiful Jen. Where do you want to go this fine evening?" It was Drew. She blushed at his complement then frowned.  
  
"I'm so sorry."  
  
"Why are you sorry?" he asked, becoming nervous.  
  
"I have to cancel tonight. Pacey just decided he was going to leave Joey in the middle of the night and she's a wreck. I need to be here."  
  
Drew couldn't help sighing in relief. He had only been dating Jen for a month and he was still afraid that she would suddenly decide he was still who he was in high school and dump him. "Do you want me to come over there? You know, lend my support?"  
  
"No, that's okay. I'm about to call Jack and Doug," she inhaled deeply, "and Dawson."  
  
"Okay, I'll call you tomorrow. I lo...bye." He hung up quickly and cursed at himself. If he hadn't caught himself in time he would have opened a very big issue between Jen and himself. He wasn't ready to do that.  
  
"Bye." Jen hung up and stared quizzically at the phone for a moment. He didn't almost say what she though he did, did he? Jen shrugged it off. She would have to worry about Drew later. Picking up the phone she made a few calls and everybody was on their way. Sitting down on the couch, Jen tried to think of all the different places Pacey would have gone. 


	3. chapter 3

Dawson smiled. He couldn't help it. The thought of Pacey finally being gone was something he wanted to rejoice in. Of course, he was sorry that Joey was hurting and he would show genuine sympathy, but its not like she was in love or anything.  
  
He knocked on the door and waited for someone to open it. To his surprise it was Doug, Pacey's brother and Jack's long-time boyfriend, who opened the door.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Dawson asked as he pushed past Doug, into the apartment. Doug clenched his fists in anger at the arrogant blonde who had just strolled in as if he alone were the center of the universe, but for Joey's sake he would control himself.  
  
"Jen asked us to come over." He said, motioning to Jack who was in the kitchen washing some dishes. "Plus, Joey was wondering if I knew where Pacey might have gone."  
  
"Do you?" Dawson silently prayed Doug wouldn't know.  
  
"Not a clue, Dawson, but I'm going to have a detective friend of mine start working on that first thing tomorrow."  
  
Dawson ignored that last part and hoped his luck would hold out. "So, where is she?"  
  
The door opened and Jen stepped out of the bedroom, shutting the door quietly behind her. When the three men, who had now all taken a seat in the living room, sent questioning glances in her direction she ignored them all. Joey was asleep again but she still wouldn't eat anything. It was going on ten and she hadn't eaten anything all day and Jen was starting to worry about her. But she supposed that if she had just had her heart ripped in two she wouldn't feel like eating either. Maybe Joey would feel like it tomorrow.  
  
They all watched as Jen walked into the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee. She sat in the recliner without saying a word. Jen really didn't feel like discussing anything with Dawson there. She already had a pretty good idea about what his opinion was on the subject.  
  
After a few moments Jack couldn't take anymore waiting. "Well?"  
  
"Well what? She's heartbroken. She cried herself to sleep." Jen stated obviously, as she sipped her coffee.  
  
"Why would she be heartbroken?" Dawson asked, completely oblivious.  
  
"Because she loves him."  
  
He just shook his head adamantly. "No she doesn't."  
  
Jen was sick of it. It was the same attitude Dawson had a few months ago, when he had moved to Boston to find Pacey and Joey had become more than your average roommates. He acted like he still knew Joey better than anyone. He didn't.  
  
"How would you know?" Jen asked irritated tone.  
  
"I know Joey." He was so arrogant that it made Jen want to scream.  
  
"No, you knew Joey. You stopped really knowing her back in high school. You really haven't had a clue about her since you moved to Hollywood."  
  
"But I'm back now." he argued.  
  
"You have been back in her life for three months. Three months and you are trying to tell the rest of us about Joey. She does love him. As much as you hate it, it isn't going to change."  
  
"She. Doesn't. Love. Him." he stated.  
  
Joey had been listening on the other side of the bedroom door and she couldn't believe what she had just heard. How could Dawson say something like that? And it wasn't even so much what he said but the way he said it. It was so cold, final. As if he knew the inner workings of her heart.  
  
Joey stepped out of the room and looked Dawson square in the eyes. "I do love Pacey. I always have and I always will. It won't change, no matter how stupid he acts sometimes."  
  
"Joey, you don't know what you're saying." Joey wanted to pull her hair out. He was treating her like she was a child. In a way they all were but Dawson was the only one making her feel like it.  
  
She shook her head. "No, you wouldn't know. Pacey left because he loves me and as stupid as that is I understand."  
  
"You are a fool, Joey. Pacey Witter doesn't love you. He can't. It was just lust. I mean this is Pacey we're talking about." Dawson was desperate to get her to believe him, even though he knew he was lying. Pacey had loved Joey since kindergarten.  
  
"Yeah, this is Pacey we're talking about." Jen stepped in. "The same Pacey who is always there for his friends, who bought her a wall just so she could express herself, who always looks out for Joey, or any of us, the same Pacey who has been your best friend for the last sixteen years."  
  
"So?"  
  
"What bothers you more, Dawson? That Pacey loves her or that she loves him back?" Doug asked from his place next to Jack.  
  
"Dawson, maybe you should just leave." Joey said quietly.  
  
"Fine, I will. I guess I'll see you around."  
  
"If you have anything negative to say about Pacey then don't bother."  
  
Dawson stood there, stunned for a second. She was picking Pacey over him and the guy wasn't even there. Dawson didn't understand it. In fact it infuriated him, but he realized that Joey needed time. He walked out the door without saying anything else. 


End file.
